After that, both he and Lin Mo kept their promise.
Lei Zhen never complained. Whenever the new blisters on his hands glistened in the sunlight, he would proudly show them to Lin Mo.
Moreover, Lei Zhen was also a competent attendant.
Whether it was taking care of the horses or looking after Lin Mo's daily needs.
Because of this, Lin Mo grew to like the boy more and more.
If possible, once Lin Mo settles down, we might take him in and train him.
And so, the two searched the vast city of Wuzhong for an entire day.
The next day, as the first rays of sunlight fell, the two embarked on their adventure once again.
"My lord, Your Highness, there's a carriage ahead." Lei Zhen's eyes were as sharp as a hawk's, quickly catching the movement ahead.
Lin Mo looked in the direction he pointed and saw an old-fashioned two-wheeled wooden oxcart moving slowly forward. The high side panels resembled a sturdy barrier, blocking outside prying eyes. A man and a woman were working together to pull the rope, following the cart tracks forward.
"Slow down," Lin Mo whispered to Lei Zhen. "We mustn't alarm them, and we mustn't let them mistake us for bandits. Remember, we must be polite in our speech and actions."
"Yes, sir." Lei Zhen replied respectfully, but a mischievous glint flashed in his eyes. "Mind your manners, Your Highness." He repeated in a low voice, as if he felt a subtle excitement at the possibility of being mistaken for a bandit.
They jogged up to him, the farmers watching them warily, but after Lin Mo made it clear he meant no harm, they let him walk beside them.
"We used to have a cow," the old man recounted slowly along the path strewn with weeds and mud, amidst soft puddles of mud and charred trees, "but it was stolen."
The old man's face, etched with the marks of years of labor, was flushed red from pulling the cart. "Our daughter was also taken away. Alas, she did many bad things. Fortunately, she ran back on her own after the battle."
But the cow wasn't there; I guess it must have been eaten by those bandits.
The woman has nothing to add.
She was twenty years younger than the man, but she didn't say a word. She just scrutinized Lin Mo with the same look she would give a calf.
Lin Mo was already used to such looks.
Perhaps it is the gaze of ordinary women.
"When did people start living in Wuzhong City?" Lin Mo asked.
Upon hearing this, a hint of reminiscence flashed in the old man's eyes: "It was a little over a year ago. At that time, the war had just ended, and Wuzhong City had suffered heavy damage. We managed to rebuild part of the city, giving the people a place to shelter from the wind and rain."
"Oh? Then who's managing Wuzhong City now?" Lin Mo asked again.
“He is a distant relative of His Majesty, named Zhao Zhen. He is a stern man, but very brave!” the old man continued. “There were still a lot of bandits near Wuzhong City before, as well as robbers from Dongpange.”
Lord Zhao caught the worst of them and beheaded them with his enormous sword. He turned and spat. "You didn't run into any bandits on the road, did you?"
"No." This time, no.
The further away from Wuzhong City, the emptier the roads became, and the occasional passerby would disappear into the woods before they could even get close.
The inns we passed by were either looted and abandoned or had become military camps.
Yesterday they encountered a patrol from the Great Xia Dynasty. The cavalrymen, armed with spears and longbows, surrounded them. The captain interrogated Lin Mo relentlessly, but fortunately, they were eventually allowed to pass.
Lin Mo felt it necessary to convey the warning to the farmer and his wife.
He simply nodded, and after Lin Mo finished speaking, he spat again, "Don't worry, as long as Lord Zhao is here, these bandits won't dare to approach Wuzhong City!" He said, "Lord Zhao has a full twenty thousand elite soldiers under his command!"
"Twenty thousand elite troops..." Lin Mo frowned. "Half of them are to wipe out the bandits, and the other half are to guard against me!"
For some reason, Lin Mo's heart started to race.
I cannot kill too many of the troops stationed here, otherwise the scum of Dongpango will take advantage of the situation.
Thinking about all this made Lin Mo feel somewhat sad.
The sun was half-hidden behind the clouds, and after they had walked for more than an hour, the rebuilt Wuzhong City district suddenly appeared.
The city gate has been rebuilt and reinforced, and archers are now walking back and forth on the pale red stone walls.
The banner of the Great Xia Dynasty fluttered high on the city gate tower, its colors a striking contrast of gold and red!
"Ruoxi...wait for me!" Lin Mo murmured.
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